general Today’s news and minutiae

Posted April 13, 2007 • Comments Off on Today’s news and minutiae

I was just reading this post on BoingBoing about a watch made from pieces of the Titanic, and I came to realize we are very near to the storm of schmaltz that will be the 100th anniversary of the sinking. Tomorrow, in fact, is the 95th anniversary. Who wants to bet that in five years plus one day from now, the movie Titanic will be re-released in theaters? Who wants to further bet that Kate Winslet still won’t have an Oscar by that time?

In other news, apparently rats laugh. Halfway through this video I was sure the rat was pissed off, but then the scientist convinced me that the rats really do like the tickling. It’s quite something. Mark Helprin wrote once, “Laughter saves us by reconciling our pride to what we really are. Animals—except for cats—have no such need.”

I also enjoyed this video of Kurt Vonnegut’s 2005 appearance on the Daily Show.

Lastly, and most recently, I have today seen something I’ve never seen before and will probably never see again: namely, my parents’ names on a wedding invitation.

Edited to add:

I just bought this showerhead

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and it rules. That is all.